My toddler still loves planes, so I upgraded her radar
An indie iOS app that visualizes nearby aircraft for a plane-obsessed toddler—branded as a “radar” but powered by ADS‑B flight data—prompts both admiration and nitpicking over technical terminology. Commenters swap parenting stories, safety anecdotes, and ideas for new features, while also debating gamification for kids, UI clarity, and whether mobile platforms handle orientation and maps well. Several express interest in open-source Android and wearable ports, highlighting how a simple, non-monetized side project can inspire others to learn and build.
Terminology: “Radar” vs ADS‑B Wrapper
- Several commenters argue this isn’t a true radar but a frontend to an ADS‑B data service, and say the title is technically misleading.
- Others respond that for a toddler (and most non‑avgeeks), “radar” is the clearest term and suits the playful context.
- Aviation folks note that “secondary surveillance radar” terminology already blurs lines between active radar and transponder‑based systems; some say SSR is “still radar,” others emphasize the distinction.
- A side thread discusses how building an actual transmitting radar at home would be difficult, regulated, and potentially unsafe, with detailed notes on high‑voltage and vintage‑equipment risks.
Community Reaction & Parenting Angle
- Many find the project cute, touching, and inspiring as a parent–child activity, with multiple parents reminiscing about their own toddlers and changing stages of childhood.
- There’s some self‑reflection on balancing coding hobbies with actually spending time with kids.
Platform, Availability, and Ports
- Some users can’t run the app because it requires iOS 17 or newer hardware; the author chose this to use new SwiftUI/MapKit/Metal features.
- Several people report the app “failing to connect,” which is later attributed to sparse air traffic in rural areas and limited error handling.
- Multiple commenters discuss creating an Android port (possibly open‑source, maybe with React Native or native Android). The author offers to share iOS source privately.
- Someone built a related watch app for Garmin devices, using different ADS‑B providers with varying coverage quality.
Feature Ideas and UX Discussion
- Proposed features include AR “live view” of planes, marking aircraft as “seen,” local stats/badges, occlusion modeling with terrain/buildings, cockpit‑style blips, and showing where a parent is.
- There’s debate over gamification and badges for kids:
- One side warns against teaching kids to chase digital rewards and in‑app currencies.
- Others argue that digital items and badges can have genuine value and can be used for learning, if not exploitative.
- UI feedback: some controls are ambiguous about current state (e.g., weather toggle); commenters generalize this to wider frustrations with modern UI/TV apps and lack of clear affordances.
Related Topics
- Experiences with children visiting cockpits post‑9/11: still possible, mostly on the ground, often by asking crew.
- A side thread on phone compass/orientation: mixed views on whether iOS or Android is better; some attribute differences to UI smoothing vs raw sensor exposure, not hardware.